Vallance Residential Care Home

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

At our last inspection, we found areas of practice that needed improvement in respect to systems of audits and governance being embedded and driving improvement. At this assessment, improvements had been made. The management of the service ensured that effective systems of quality monitoring were routinely carried out, and to ensure a good level of care. Staff worked collaboratively with outside agencies such as the local authority and healthcare professionals, and felt supported to provide high quality care to people.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Staff commented they felt supported and had a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Staff told us the care of people living at the service was the most important aspect of their work and they strived to ensure that people received high quality care. The registered manager told us, "I support staff. I want them to learn. We have good staff, we really care." Our own observations supported this.

People who used the service, relatives, staff, and other stakeholders had opportunities to give feedback about the service through surveys. Staff felt the registered manage listened to people and used their views to improve the service.

Staff commented they worked well together, approached concerns as a team and were supported by management. A member of staff told us, “We all get on well, it gets very busy, but we're a good team and [registered manager] supports us with whatever we need.” The registered manager added, "We provide excellent care. It's a small home and it feels like a family."

The registered manager operated an open-door policy to ensure that staff could have access to management at any time to discuss any issues or concerns they may have.

Staff knew about whistleblowing and said they would have no hesitation in reporting any concerns. They explained how the registered manager encouraged staff to raise any issues or concerns they had.

The provider had procedures in place support people to voice their views. For example, there was a whistle blowing policy and staff knew how to escalate concerns. People also had access to regular meetings and the registered manager operated an open door policy and was available if people wanted to speak with them.

The registered manager and staff had a good understanding of equality, diversity and human rights and explained how they would make sure nobody living, visiting or working at the service suffered from any kind of discrimination. This was reinforced through training. A member of staff told us, "We've had training around equality and diversity, we don't discriminate here."

Staff had a good understanding of equality, diversity and human rights and explained how they would make sure nobody at the service, including staff, suffered from any kind of discrimination.

The registered manager explained to us how systems of audit and governance had been developed, so that quality of care and management could be assessed.

The registered manager undertook a range of quality assurance audits. We saw audit activity which included accidents and incidents, infection control, care plans and health and safety. The results of which were analysed to determine trends and introduce preventative measures.

People could access the local community and visitors from nearby charities, schools and health and social care organisations visited the service. Our observations supported this. One person told us, "It's well run, it's a happy home. I know the manager, I can always talk to her if I want anything." A relative added, "I think this home is well run. There are a few niggles occasionally, but nothing serious."

The service liaised with organisations within the local community. For example, the Local Authority to share information and learning around local issues and best practice in care delivery, as well as to assist each other in investigating any concerns. The service also engaged with health professionals, local schools and charities. The registered manager told us, "We're good at keeping people involved and healthy. We engage well with GP's and community professionals."

There were a variety of health and social care professionals involved in people’s care to ensure the wider care they received was seamless. People’s care records demonstrated how staff worked with professionals.

There were systems and processes in place for the registered manager to gain feedback from people, staff and community stakeholders to help plan people's care and their community involvement.

Staff told they were actively involved in developing the service, and they would happily support people and their relatives to give feedback. We saw examples of how feedback from people and staff had influenced activities and food choices at the service. The registered manager told us, "I get regular feedback from relatives, residents and staff. My door is always open."

The registered manager outlined the procedures in place to ensure learning was identified from complaints, incidents and adverse events. Feedback was sought from people using the service to aid improvement. Surveys were available to enable people to feedback on the home and their care. People were able to comment about anything staff could do better.